Deep gold color; Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, apple, nectarine, apricot, honey, white peach, brioche, baking spices, hint of oak on the nose and palate.
Dry; low to no tannins; medium acidity. Medium body. Smooth, fills the mouth with ripe fruit flavors. A Northern-Rhône-style blend of 47% roussanne, 47% marsanne, 6% viognier. All Texas-grown grapes. The marsanne comes from the Reddy Vineyards in Brownfield, the roussanne from Farmhouse Vineyards in Meadow (north of Brownfield), the viognier from Six Harts Vineyards. All in the Texas High Plains AVA.
This is a substantial white; the winery says it can age for up to five years. The bottle was purchased at the winery this year (2024), so five years out from vintage. It remains delicious and richly rewarding, yet another example of white wine’s capability to age and add complexity and dimensions. Fermented and aged in French and American oak and stainless steel. The winery does not comment on malolactic fermentation, but butter is not a standout element. Freshness, good but not assertive acidity, and a lingering finish are the takeaways. 12.8% ABV
Becker Vineyards started when Dr. Richard and Bunny Becker sought a Hill Country getaway from their lives in San Antonio. They found it in Stonewall, Texas, halfway between Fredericksburg and Johnson City (17 miles away from Fredericksburg and 70 miles north of San Antonio). First imagined as a small operation, it soon blossomed and Becker now produces 140,000-plus cases a year, allowing for extensive distribution, something most Texas wineries have yet to achieve. Becker is the largest buyer of French and American oak in Texas.
The Beckers and their wine operation are exemplar of Texas winery success. Bunny was a ferocious promoter of the brand, a task she immersed herself into in the 1990s after surviving breast cancer. She was the ebullient, smiling face of Becker for decades. Texas wine lost a shining, inspiring light when cancer returned and Bunny died in August 2019.
Becker’s success is one of the defining elements of the impressive Texas wine scene. The state now is the fifth largest wine producer in the US. Granted, that is a marginal claim. California makes 85% of American wine, followed by Washington, Oregon, New York, and now Texas.
Texas makes something more than one-half of one percent of US wine, but increases its percentage each year and now has more than 450 wineries. The Texas wine scene surges forward. The Texas Hill Country AVA—where Becker’s Fredericksburg tasting room and commodious winery are located—is the second-most visited AVA in the nation, behind only Napa. Who knew this would happen when Richard and Bunny took a getaway winery fling 30 years ago?
Becker Vineyards Prairie Cuvee, Texas High Plains 2019 is light, refreshing, full fruity flavor. This is classic Rhône blend well executed using Texas-grown grapes by a substantial player in the state’s ascendency in the wine world. Drinks very well after five years, as the winery promised. Pair with shellfish, steamed lobster, crab; shrimp; rich and lean fish; curry dishes; spicy dishes; chicken—breast/thighs baked, broiled; rabbit—a classic Rhône pairing; pork tenderloin; scampi pasta; salads and vegetarian fare—cream of broccoli soup; appetizers and snacks; charcuterie board. Cheese—goat cheeses; havarti, gouda, munster, herbed boursin, brie, camembert, taleggio, blue cheese, roquefort, gorgonzola, aged manchego, parmigiano-reggiano. $25
